Summer’s a Breeze with an Organized Trunk!

We want to help you get organized so those summer car trips don’t turn into nightmares.

Summer is supposed to be relaxing, right?

Um…yeah…sure.

If you’re not measuring your year by semesters, chances are summers are just like any other time of year–except with much more traveling and going to-and-fro in the car. Here are 5 things you absolutely need in your trunk this summer to make going places feel like a breeze…and once you get there? Here’s to you, let’s relax!

The BIG Catchall:

You need something to corral the bats, balls and other miscellaneous sporting gear. Not to mention towels and swimsuits, floaties and those goggles that MUST. NOT. BE. LOST. A laundry basket is perfect for this task. Get a flexible one that can give a little when the trunk closes, has handles to help you carry it in and out (and in and out) of the house/garage, and hurrah(!) the laundry basket has no lid so pack it high with odd-ball gear. Once the little darlings roll out of the car, you can easily hand them their things and send them on their way.

Put Your Feet Up:

I have long since given up bag chairs. As my family’s grown, so did our stack of chairs, and inevitably there were chairs among the mix that the kids either refused to sit in or fought over. The bags broke, if you even could squeeze the chairs back in there while your kids are trying to run off. So I’ve bravely moved on…to blankets. And my favorite right now? Canvas tarps. You can buy them HUGE, they wash up incredibly soft and oh my…the kids can draw on them! That’s right. Picture yourself with shoes off, kicked back on the blanket, kids happily drawing with plenty of room (which means no fighting!) and yes…that’s the relaxing we were talking about. Oh and even better: use a “mom” blanket and a “kids” blanket.

Essentials Kit:

Grab a small, plastic container. I like the ones that snap shut securely and have a handle on top (like a Doctor’s bag for 21st century moms.) Put all of your MUST HAVE items in it–this includes sunscreen, bug spray, tissues, pain reliever, hand sanitizer and a First Aid kit. This tub makes the items easy to reach, you won’t have to remember them every time you travel, and they’re not getting lost in purses, swim bags and the like.

The Cooler:

Coolers are essential to summertime fun. They keep drinks cold and ham sandwiches colder (we hope). My favorite cooler right now? The Yeti Hopper. It’s definitely an “it” bag for me. It keeps your things so cold (and ice doesn’t melt in it!) that it feels like you’re bringing your fridge with you. It’s indestructible. For real. Also…cooler essentials? Ice sheets. These are reusable little ice packs that you pop in your freezer and then throw in a cooler to keep things iced down. Also, grab a resealable baggie and stow away important items that you want to keep dry, or at least all together, like wipes, tissues, a trash bag and marker for writing names on cups. You can velcro this to the inside of your cooler, or if you have the Yeti Hopper, you can put it in a cute tote and attach it to one of the handy hooks on the side.

Pièce de Résistance:

The last item you need is a super small laundry basket for putting all the icky, muddy, smelly and wet items that come off of your kids. Add an air freshener (like a Yankee Car Candle or Odor Neutralizing Beads) and it’ll seem like it’s not even there! This is a really easy way to haul in only the absolutely necessary items at the end of a long day or weekend. Just make sure you put it back in the car for the next go-around!

I hope these tips help you have a great summer. Have a trunk tip that you can’t live without? Share with us below!